the figure of the "Third-World woman"

When it comes to the figure of the "third-world woman," postcolonialism and feminism cannot necessarily form a suitable coalition to theorize colonialist binaries; together they create areas of controversy. Firstly, the figure of the "third-world woman" is continually theorized as being marginalized. It makes it seem as if all third-world women are placed in the margins, yet it is the West that creates this notion. This creates a validation that Western women are not in the margins. Furthermore, this creates an "othering" effect, which perpetuates the binary of West/East. Western feminists continually apply a "saving" narrative onto third-world women saying that "'native woman' suffers in contrast with her Western sibling," so Western women must do something to help their third-world sisters. It gives Western women the epistemic knowledge for since third-world women are in the margins they must be poor, uneducated, ignorant, etc. while Western women are modern, free, and educated. Furthermore, the figure of the "third-world woman" is extremely homogenous. Every country, town, or even community within the third-world has its own historical and social complexities which are completely ignored by this iconic label. The figure of the "third-world woman" is not monolithic, for every woman is has a different experience.